If you’ve use an Android phone or tablet for a while now, you may have come across the term “sideloading.” Sideloading is basically just moving a file (often an app) from your computer to your Android device, which sounds like a simple process, but it can be confusing for someone who’s never done it before.

So today we’re going to take a look at why you might want to sideload apps or other files to your Android device, and how exactly you can do it.

What Files Can You Sideload?

Since sideloading is just a process of moving files from one device to another, it can be done with nearly anything. The most common use case is probably apps, but lots of other file types can be moved as well.

Music, Podcasts, eBooks, Movies, or TV shows

Nowadays, smartphones are much more than just phones. They can be eReaders, MP3 players, and TVs all wrapped into one. That means you can load virtually any kind of media onto your Android device and enjoy it on the go.

Most of the time, this means using a micro-USB to full-size USB cable (above), but more and more phones and computers are being released with the new USB Type-C specificationWhat Is USB Type-C?What Is USB Type-C?Ah, the USB plug. It is as ubiquitous now as it is notorious for never being able to be plugged in right the first time.Read More that replaces both of these.

Installing Sideloaded Apps

For APKs that you’ve moved over, the process is a little bit more complex because Android has safeguards in place to ensure you’re not installing malware on your device. As long as you’re sure that the file you’re installing came from a safe source, follow these steps:

Go to Settings > Security > Device administration and toggle on the Unknown Sources option. These steps may vary slightly depending on your version of Android.

You can then go and tap on the APK file, and it should be as simple as tapping Install, and then Done or Open.

For extra security, Google may prompt you during this process to allow it to regularly check your device for harmful apps (Google calls this app verification). We recommend saying yes to this. If you’re not prompted and you want to ensure that it’s activated, follow these steps: